The incoming class of 2029 began integrating into high school before their freshman year started. Programs are offered at the high school to aid students in their transition from middle to high school. These efforts help prepare students for high school responsibilities while alleviating their concerns about the new environment.
The transition from middle to high school typically begins in eighth grade, usually in March or April, starting with a transition night. At this event, students and parents are invited to the theatre or cafeteria for dinner, followed by an informational presentation.
“We talk about overall expectations within the high school setting,” ninth-grade Assistant Principal Shaun Woody said. “We talk about graduation requirements and the types of diplomas within the high school setting. This kind of gives students and parents during that eighth-grade year a preview of what they’re going to get when they arrive at the high school.”
The summer before freshman year, incoming students and their parents are invited to the school for the “Kickoff” orientation. During kickoff, each freshman is assigned an upperclassman mentor who guide the freshmen through the school year.
“This year, we kind of had a party-like atmosphere in the gym during freshman orientation, where freshmen could come in with their parents, meet their Kickoff mentor, receive a goodie bag with candy, and just some overall words,” Woody said. “We held a Q & A session for the parents and the students, with their mentor to acclimate them to the building and kind of give them some framework of what to expect when they come in August, the first day, and then took them on tours.”
The school’s aim is to provide a positive and open atmosphere for incoming freshmen and their parents. To ensure this, Woody and Kickoff Mentor Program Leader, Christine Evans, plan for the mentors and their groups of 10 to 12 mentees to meet in the first and second semesters.
“When I first came to high school, I didn’t really have a set friend group or friends, and my mentor really had an impact on me,” said senior kickoff mentor Kiley Honaker. “So I think having that impact makes me want to be able to have that impact on other people, and knowing that you have somebody that you can trust and have that kind of connection, and being able to have the opportunity to ask questions with someone you already know is a good fit.”
The mentors leave a lasting impact on their mentees throughout the rest of their high school career by helping them find their place in the school community.
“The hardest part of the transition into high school is trying to get along with the people in your classes and finding new connections with people, because you’re not going to have the same classes with the people you’ve had throughout the years,” said freshman Karley Worley. “I was nervous, but as I started going with the flow and having the upper class guiding me, it was pretty easy.”
Through the support programs offered by the school, freshmen find their place and are guided through high school. This allows the students to worry less and focus more on the experiences and opportunities unique to high school.
“[The transition] felt easier because I kind of had an idea of going into high school. It wasn’t too bad,” said freshman Matthew Trivett.
